This is Home (K/Ava, M/L, Mature) Part 29 COMPLETE 7/28

[starcrazed]

Title: This is Home
Author: starcrazed
Disclaimer: The characters of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, WB, and UPN
Category: M/L, K/Ava, M/M
Rating: Mature
Summary: Earth’s only hope now is the Granilith. Only problem: it is literally a world away and those on Earth have no way to get in contact with those who could help them. When those on Earth finally make contact with Antar will the hybrids go back to a home they’ve searched for their entire lives or will their enemy stop them?

Huge thank you to pijeechinadoll for the awesome banner. You rock!!!

AN: “This is Home” by Switchfoot. Besides giving this story a title, the song also helped me write it. –No infringement is intended.

I've got my memories
Always
Inside of me
But I can't go back
Back to how it was
I believe you now
I've come too far
No I can't go back
Back to how it was
Created for a place
I've never known

This is home
Now I'm finally
Where I belong
Where I belong
Yeah, this is home
I've been searching
For a place of my own
Now I've found it
Maybe this is home
Yeah, this is home

Belief over misery
I've seen the enemy
And I won't go back
Back to how it was
And I got my heart
Set on
What happens next
I got my eyes wide
It's not over yet
We are miracles
And we're not alone

Yeah, this is home
Now I'm finally
Where I belong
Where I belong
Yeah, this is home
I've been searching
For a place of my own
Now I've found it
Maybe this is home
Yeah, this is home

And now after all
My searching
After all my questions
I'm gonna call it home
I got a brand new mindset
I can finally see
The sunset
I'm gonna call it home

This is home
Now I'm finally
Where I belong
Where I belong
Yeah, this is home
I've been searching
For a place of my own
Now I've found it
Maybe this is home
This is home

Now I know
Yeah, this is home
I've come too far
And I won't go back
Yeah, this is home


~*~*~*~*~

Part 1

April 2017

Exhaustion didn’t even come close to describing the state of the lone person traveling the never ending highway the lay ahead of him. He wished he could remember what it felt like to be exhausted. Imagining it would be a welcomed relief to the sorry condition he found himself in now. It had been far too long since his body ached with something as simple as exhaustion. More then the past few days he’s been on the road, certainly more then weeks its been since the last frantic struggle for supplies. Definitely more then the months its been since he’s seen any of the few remaining familiar faces he considered family, maybe even sadly as long as the years that have regretfully passed without peace.

Still even after all the times he traveled back he was still in awe watching the landscape around him change into the rose-colored desert that reminded him of a home he’s tried so hard to get back to for the past sixteen years.

Killing the engine as he reached the ‘Welcome to Roswell’ sign he hopped off the bike and slowly took off the helmet ignoring his numb legs that have been straddling the bike for the past eight hours. He shook the brown hair out of his eyes and held up one arm to block the sun as he looked towards his childhood town from the distance before walking towards it.

He didn’t know why he left his motorcycle back by the sign and walked into town. It wasn’t like he had to be concerned with running into anybody. Not only was Roswell no longer the tourist trap it once was when he was a boy, it was barely a town at all anymore.

Those that survived the first wave of the war didn’t find it so funny to live in the alien capital of the world once the second wave of the war began and the aliens decided to try and take over their world.

As hit boots left footprints on the dusty road he allowed his mind to get swept away with the memories as his body automatically took him to his destination.

~Crash festivals~ the Crashdown shooting~ that first year of confusion, hurt, and discovery~ Eating in the Crashdown almost everyday~ the second year of constantly being hunted, trying to accept his new role, the unbearable heartache and betrayal~ Senior year filled with so many things, so many emotions, but hardly one that was spoken ~ Aiden’s birth~~ PROM~ Graduation~ Controlling their powers~ Leaving home for college~ Leaving home to save their lives when what some of the humans still call World War Three broke out~ Meeting new allies~

He thought of one particular ally he hoped to be able to see within the weeks end and a smile graced his aged features. It was lines of worry and stress that were evident on his face now, not the laugh lines surrounding his eyes in those few moments he got to be with the ones he loved.

The ones that he fought for.

The ones he would lay down his life for in an instant, without any hesitation whatsoever.

The ones who motivated him to fight this fight that didn’t begin as theirs, but with time grew to be theirs just as much as it belonged to those who left them behind.

He ignored the twist in his gut at the thought of his friends no longer with him. No longer with them.

He pushed himself forward as he saw the all too familiar Crashdown sign in the distance. It wasn’t lit up; it had been years since the sign was working, years since the Café itself was open for business.

When the bell over head sounded he was still surprised considering the glass windows were gone and the tables and chairs where scattered throughout the restaurant very few of them upright.

The mural on the wall was covered in graffiti and the framed pictures on the other walls were torn and hanging crooked. The lights inside were shattered and the swinging door lay useless on the floor.

If possible the Crashdown looked even worse then the last time he was here. He was grateful for a moment the Parkers were no longer around to see their beloved restaurant in such desolation. They were some of the first to get out of town knowing what they did about aliens.

For once he pushed away the flashes of memory that tried to consume him as he headed straight for the back stairs and up to the long abandoned apartment cursing Liz Parker’s need to distance herself from all things alien.

Wondering why the hell they didn’t just leave all this stuff back at the chamber where they found it and why on Earth they needed these things now.

And why it had to be him to get them.

Liz’s room was a mess, but that was no surprise considering the state of things he found downstairs. He was glad he barely recognized her room with its current state. He didn’t need the few memories he had of her bedroom to rush over him and make him lose focus.

He sent up a silent prayer to whatever was out there listening at this point that the orbs were still there.

That whoever ransacked the apartment didn’t find the one thing they needed most right now.

Swearing that if they ever needed to get the healing stones it wouldn’t be him that went to get them.

With a hope he hadn’t felt in years, that the plan would work, he started towards the window.

As he crawled through it onto the balcony he cursed himself for not taking the ladder up. It would have been so much easier on his thirty-four year old body. He scanned the brick wall mentally counting the bricks hopeful that Liz’s memory was as good as they always thought before stepping forward and waving a hand in front of the wall.

A small sigh of relief escaped his lips as a silver hand print appeared where once a red heart glowed and he reached in easily and pulled out the two small metallic objects shaped like smaller footballs.

Dropping them carefully in his duffel bag he tossed it over his shoulder before heading to the ladder. He paused briefly doubting it was still there, but knowing how much she had loved it, he squeezed back in through the window and headed towards the loose brick that once hid a journal. Pulling it loose he wasn’t surprised to find it gone. His mind pondered if she had it and kept it a secret or her parents took it for her. Maybe their enemies had gotten it or a harmless wandered had found it.

Crossing the threshold of the window for the third and final time he was back out on the balcony and down the ladder before the sun finished dropping behind the horizon. Taking a moment to admire the pink sky dusted with orange he moved on quickly, back towards his bike with the two orbs safely secured on his back.

TBC>>>

[starcrazed]

Part 2

Three days later he was at the border of his territory trying to remember if he was meeting on her turf this time or she was meeting on his. Recalling last time they met on his side, he continued on his bike the extra 20 miles to the pre-decided upon meeting place.

As usual he was the first to arrive and he took a quick shower under the ice cold water he had grow used to these past few years. Closing his eyes, he could almost remember what it felt like to have the hot water pounding onto his back and washing away the dirt and grim of a day as the steam fogged up the mirrors. Nowadays they were lucky if they got a warm shower without heating the water first with alien hocus pocus.

Dropping onto the lumpy mattress that felt much more comfortable then he logically knew it was his heavy eyelids were closing when the two quick raps hit the wooden door before he saw the brief glow on the handle, and she let herself in.

He watched her as she shut the door behind her and locked it again with her powers before turning to take in the sight of him after so long an absence. Sliding to the edge of the bed he reached for her hand but she shook her head. The short strains of her hair moved back and forth enticing him.

“But…”

“I want to shower too.”

He nodded his head in acceptance and laid back down dosing before she even turned the water on.

Hours later when he woke up it was still dark outside the curtains. He was surprised to find himself fully rested and not startled awake by one of the many nightmares that have hunted him in the years since the war began.

He felt a tickle at his chin and looked down to find the reason for his dreamless, restful slumber sound asleep, snuggled in the comforter. Carefully sliding one arm under her neck and wrapping the other one around her waist he pulled her closer still amazed after all these years how well she fit against him.

She murmured in her sleep and he kissed her forehead soothingly.

“Mmmhm.”

He couldn’t help the gentle smile that graced his face at her sound of contentment.

Whispering, “Go back to sleep.” as her eyelids began to flutter, struggling for consciousness to join him.

Without opening her eyes she found his lips with her own and pressed them tight against each other pulling back after a minute and mumbling, “Wake me soon. Love you.”

“I love you.”

The emotions behind the words still overwhelmed him sometimes.

Sometimes the fact that he could love her like this when his two best friends in the world were separated by a distance unimaginable to them from their loved ones filled him with so much guilt he couldn’t breathe.

But right now.

Right like this.

He was able to forget their pain and understand how a love so strong existed. A love that could motivate them to fight a war that they had little chance of surviving and that had even a slimmer chance of returning their loved ones to them.

He would wake her at some point, but first he wanted her to rest. She was just as worn out as he was and had the added burden of knowing in some ways, it was her fight from the beginning. So she would continue to rest in his protective arms for as long as he could bear it before waking her to spend some precious moments loving each other before they had to go their separate ways again for who knows how long.

At some point his body pulled him back into the land of slumber and it was her waking him up a few hours later, just before dawn. He couldn’t help but smile as she tried to wake him; her ways always being so much more creative then his. She pulled her lips away from his when she felt them turn upwards in a smile.

“Hi.”

“Morning.”

Sparkling crystal clear blue eyes stared back at him trying to dive into his very soul and stay there for the rest of time.

“How’d it go?”

“Fine.”

“Were they there?”

He nodded breaking eye contact in favor of moving down her neck with his lips towards her collar bone.

“I’m trying to talk to you here.”

He gave her the boyish smile he knew she fell for, what seemed like a hundred years ago. “Love now, talk later.”

She rolled her eyes at him, but he knew she conceded to the plan. Even though communications were limited they were still more frequent then actual visits between them. He couldn’t imagine her being on an entirely different planet, never knowing if he’d ever see her again. Not even knowing if she was being hurt, fighting the same fight they were, or living the life of luxury.

He knew at least that on some distant planet his friends were alive because there would be no way those two girls, no. Those two incredibly brave women, who have become his family, would be able to fight so hard if their loved ones were gone. And he firmly believed in every fiber of his being that no matter the distance, of everyone those two would know if anything had happen to the men they loved.

No matter how much pain they had caused each other in the past.

No matter how long it’s been since they last seen each other.

No matter that they lived longer now without them then they ever lived with them.

“Hey,” poking him hard in the chest she continued. “I get more attention from my men at base and they don’t even get any booty.”

“Well that’s good to know you’re not handing out your booty with random guys. It’s my booty.”

Again he flashed her the charming smile that made her fall in love with him and pushed away every other thought or worry he had and focused solely on her. Going straight for the ticklish spot by her neck with his fingers until she had him flipped under her and stopped any further tickle fights by slamming her body against his and locking their lips together never wanting to breathe again if he wasn’t breathing the same air as her.

TBC…

[starcrazed]

Part 3

“So they were still there?”

“Yeah, right where she said they’d be. It was so weird going back there.”

“I can only imagine. She’ll be really happy.”

“She doesn’t do happy anymore.”

Piercing blue eyes glared at him, but he looked back just as intensely daring her to call him a liar when they both knew it had been a long time since Liz Parker was happy.

She gave in first knowing it really has been far too long since her friend had been genuinely happy about anything in this life.

“I saw Jade.”

This grabbed his attention and he looked up sharply, “Really?”

She caught the humor in his voice and chose to ignore it. “Yeah, Aiden had a problem with his powers.”

“That boy looks and acts more like Guerin every time I see him.”

“Really, it seems to me he acts a bit like his uncle with the practical jokes and crude comments.”

Fear filled his eyes and she had to hold back giggles, “You didn’t tell Jade about those did you.”

Not being able to help it a giggle slipped by, “Please, do you remember Amy? Jade’s just as bad.”

Immediately she sobered, realizing what she said, “I…I’m sorry…I just...”

Pulling her closer to him on the bed, he kissed her temple, “It’s okay. Don’t worry your punky little head about it. We all lost loved ones in this war.”

Seeing the plea in his eyes she dutifully changed the subject, “Oh please, I haven’t been punk in ages.”

“Yeah, but that lip ring left a lasting impression and were they pink high-lights in that hair or was it purple?”

She pulled away pretending to be insulted and pouting her lower lip knowing he could resist that about as much as she could resist that smile of his.

“Come on Ava, you know I’m just playing with you.”

At her startled look he remembered and the fantasy bubble they had created here in the hotel room shattered before his very eyes.

“Right, Jasmine. Sorry.”

“Carter how could you be so stupid?” She put emphasis on a name that still felt unfamiliar after all these years.

“I just…” He searched her sapphire eyes for a clarity they had always provided him in the past.

“It’s just I’m beyond tired of this. I miss Olivia. I miss Jade and Aiden. I miss you.” He was careful to draw out that last word knowing he couldn’t slip again with her real name and needed her to know how badly he ached for her all the time.

“We’re all tired.”

He sighed; hating himself for making her feel guilty for something that was so beyond her control. Hating that he allowed himself to complain and give into the exhaustion that haunted them all when he was supposed to keep them happy. At the very least it was his job to put a smile on their faces once in a while.

“I didn’t mean…”

She stopped him with a kiss, long, slow, and passionate. A kiss that made him forget everything else but the feel of her pressed up against him. She pulled back slowly and blinked the haze of passion out of her eyes and waited for him to focus on her, “I know.”

“Tell me how the orbs are going to work again.”

She didn’t even hesitate as her sparkling eyes turned even more serious and she explained to him for the hundredth time their last hope.

“You need the four of them to make the communication orbs work, but since we don’t really have the original four we’re gonna try a bit of substitution and hope that works.”

“I get you subbing in for Tess it makes sense considering you guys are literally genetically the exact same and Aiden makes sense because he’s Michael’s son. I can even make the stretch to get how Liv would be a sub for Max knowing how nauseating those two were back in the day. But I still don’t think a couple dream walks with Isabel over the time span of a month is really enough for me to work. Maybe if we were just trying to get them play some pre-recorded message, but…”

“How many times do I have to tell you guys they don’t have some pre-recorded message on them? They’re communication orbs and they communicate with the other two orbs.”

“Right the other two orbs which are on Antar.”

“I don’t want to fight with you.”

“Who said anything about fighting?”

She raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow at him.

“Sweetheart. I’ve seen some pretty impressive fights in my day. Immediately DeLuca-Guerin verbal bickering matches come to mind, but us, we don’t fight. Sure we flirt shamelessly, but we don’t bicker. It’s not our thing.” He winked at her just to reinforce the words he was telling her. She jumped when his bag started beeping.

“Shit.” He went over and found his watch buried underneath a jumble of clothes.

“Times up?” She questioned regretfully.

Looking at her knowing it wasn’t really a question he nodded sadly, watching helplessly as she steeled her blue eyes against emotions.

“Hey…don’t do that yet.”

“I have too. Otherwise I won’t be able to watch you walk away again not knowing if I’ll ever get to see you again.”

“Gee…way to be a downer.”

When she laughed he smiled blissfully. It’s one of the only things he lived for making her laugh, loving her.

“It’s only three weeks then we meet at Four Corners.”

It wasn’t the real Four Corners, but the Four Corners they had created when they divided the nation into sections; each one of them taking on a section. Liz took the Northeast. She fell in love with it when she went there for college. Maria said she fell in love with it because there was nothing there that reminded her of her one true love. He tended to agree with that observation.

Because of Aiden’s firepower and the tendency Maria and him had for needing to change locations to avoid boredom they got the Northwest. Lots of forests, lots of mountains, lots of places to practice power blasting enemies into oblivion. Although Maria didn’t like to think of her sixteen year old son power blasting anyone, she had long ago accepted the world they lived in and matured quite a bit. Ava said you don’t really have a choice, but to mature when your innocence is stripped away from you, when your sense of safety is gone. He tended to agree with her too.

Since he was familiar with the west and she was familiar with the east. He took the Southwest while she took up the Southeast. Ava always tried to take on more then the other three. She liked to blame herself, saying it was her responsibility since it was her stupid history that landed them all in this mess. He wasn’t the only one who tended to disagree with her.

“I can handle three weeks.”

It took a moment for him to remember what they had been talking about, but when he did he smiled at her, not the flirtatious, boyish smile, but a smile filled with so much love and happiness she felt like she would burst. Then he pulled her tightly into him as they stood by the door.

He took a deep breath of her hair enjoying the orange citrus smell mixed with vanilla and that little extra something he couldn’t name but knew was purely Ava. He memorized the feel of her body against his for the hundredth time and the heat radiating off of her even through the layers of clothes that now separated them. Kissing her neck he trailed up to her ear until his cheek was resting against hers and he tried to ignore the tear that leaked from her now sad blue eyes onto his face as he whispered fiercely to her.

“I love you, Ava Valenti more then life itself.”

Her hands that were until then moving up and down his, flung themselves around his neck and she held on for dear life

“Don’t you dare die on me Kyle. I’ll never forgive you.”

Fusing their lips together one last time for the next three weeks he tried to convey everything he ever felt for her in that single kiss and she did the same before opening the door and tossing him out. As the door slammed shut he rested his forehead against the door and listened as she slid down on the other side and muffled her sobs that broke his heart.

TBC…

[starcrazed]

Aliases
Liz Parker- Olivia Walker
Maria DeLuca- Jade Carson
Aiden Charles Guerin- Aiden Carson
Kyle Valenti- Carter Grant
Ava Valenti- Jasmine Reed
Jim Valenti- Noah Moore

Max Evans-King Zan
Isabel Evans-Princess ILA
Michael Guerin-General Rath
Gavin Connor Evans- Gavin

Allies/Quadrants
NE (LIZ)
Avery
Sebastian
SW (KYLE)
Chase
Dustin
SE (AVA)
Grace
Hayden
NW (MARIA)
Blake
+Kal

Part 4

May 2017

Some days he really truly hated the aliens that invaded his life in high school.

There were days when he wished they crashed on another pathetic defenseless planet.

Days when he hoped it had all been a really long involved nightmare.

For instance right after they left and Liz became silent for the next four months, refusing to cry or yell or do anything at all. He hated Max Evans then. When the Evans moved away after their last year of high school; after begging Liz to tell them where their children went, he hated Max and Isabel for putting Liz in that position again.

When first Liz crackled with green energy and silent tears leaked from her chocolate brown eyes because of the pain and later when blue energy traveled across his skin making him yell because his skin felt like it was on fire. He hated Max Evans then too. Even knowing it was stupid because the alternative to dealing with that momentary pain was permanent death.

When Maria showed up at his house hysterical at three in the morning two months after they left carrying a plastic stick that had a plus sign on it that’s when he hated Michael Guerin. And seven months later when Maria was screaming at him and Liz because it hurt so badly and she wanted Michael there so she could strangle him herself. He hated Michael then.

When Brody showed up two weeks after high school graduation as Larek and informed them that Tess had been killed because of the crimes she had committed against them here on Earth as unfair as it was, he really hated all three of them then. For not hearing them that day they hollered at the Chamber door begging to be let in, pleading with them not to go with that traitorous bitch.

When World War Three was revealed as the first phase it was in Khivar’s greater plan for Earth, he hated every single creature in the universe except his family still with him on Earth.

When Amy was killed like so many other innocent bystanders he hated Khivar. When they found out the Evans’ were missing and the Whitman’s too had been lost in the conflict he hated the universe for being out to get them.

There are other days when the irrational hatred doesn’t blind him.

Days when he stops in his tracks and tries not to weep in gratitude for all that the aliens have brought to his life.

Besides the obvious threat of the end of the world, there are good things. Wondrously marvelous things.

Ava for starters. The only original hybrid left on Earth. The love of his life, future mother to his children, reason for fighting, breathing, doing anything in this world.

Then there is Liz Parker, no longer the smallest of small town girls, but now the leader to Earth’s resistance against the invaders. He thought her dad was proud when she graduated from Harvard, bearing witness to her rallying the fallen nations’ leaders blew that Harvard diploma right out of the water. The pain in her eyes hurts to look at, but if he could get past that, which most days he can, there was a love so powerful he had now doubt if she simply knew how, she’d bring their friends home with that love alone.

There was that wonderful boy somewhere in the northwest keeping his mother sane while the love of her life is off on another planet in more danger then they are. Maria DeLuca who spent three years searching down a nomadic shape shifter and after finding him went toe to toe with him despite all the powers he had until he agreed to do what she said. Maybe it was because of all the powers he had that she stayed there until she got what she wanted. And what she wanted was knowledge. Knowledge and training for them. By the time Maria was through with him, Kal agreed to all that and more.

Most days though were in-between days.

Days were the emotions he was feeling were muted because otherwise it’d be to hard to get the job done.

Usually there were too many things to stress over in his quadrant to be worried about his friends a galaxy or more away; whether it was worried thoughts with good intentions or bad.

It was more common for days to go by when he didn’t stop to consider how fair or unjust everything going on around him was and he simply got caught up in the routine that had become his life.

This particular day though as far as he could tell so far was a toss up. Part of him didn’t really care if he ended up hating the aliens or dropping down to his knees and giving them thanks. He just wanted this particular day to be over.

“Chase can you please get me through to Avery it’s important.”

“Important like we’re having a food shortage or important like you didn’t do something Commander Walker said to do?”

He ignored the sarcasm of the solider ten years younger then him, but just as experienced and asked his next question.

“Where’s Dustin?”

“He’s running a quick session with the troops. You know how he is; doesn’t want them to get lazy just because it’s been quiet for the past few months. I’m trying to put you in contact with Avery. Sorry Carter, but it’s going to take a bit longer.”

He nodded distracted as he poured over the maps laid out on the folding tables.

After the Third World War, all the organized militaries were gone. They had destroyed each other in a blood bath nightmares are made of. The national leaders who didn’t lose their life because of the war, ended it themselves soon afterward.

After the announcement.

The announcement was by a freakishly similar being to themselves with the exception of solid black eyes that still gave him the chills. It introduced itself as Khivar, ruler of Antar and its surrounding planets and soon to be conqueror of what they called Earth.

Maria, him, and Ava were visiting with Jim and Amy when the announcement broadcast itself on every technological piece of crap they owned. They looked at each other and fear covered their features. Before Khivar was done they were in the car with Aiden headed towards Liz.

Liz who would have a plan. She always had the plans. This time was no different.

The first part of that plan was that from that moment on the people they used to be, the people who were connected to Max, Isabel, Michael, and Tess were dead. New people took their places. Aiden was only eight years old at the time so he kept his first name, but Maria dropped the Guerin and changed their last name to Carson. She became Jade Carson with a single swipe of Ava’s hand.

Ava Valenti only allowed a single tear to fall from her eyes as she waved her hand again and became Jasmine Reed. With two more swipes of her hand Liz become Olivia Walker and he was Carter Grant. Immediately he protested that they at least should get to stay married with their new identities, but she explained that she wouldn’t let either of them to be used against the other if that connection was ever discovered.

Even though he and Liz had both inherited powers from the noble actions of Max Evans in their sophomore year of high school, there abilities were far more limited then Ava’s were and then Aiden’s turned out to be.

Liz perfected the astral projection thing she did once with Isabel and sometimes it was the only way the four of them were able to communicate with each other. He could heal, a power that definitely came in handy when the original healer flew off to Antar. Both of them also had the painful electricity that skated across their skin. As painful as it was for them when it was first emerging it packed quite a punch to their enemies. Or so he would imagine considering not one has survived to tell him about it. That was the extent of their powers though and even the handy blast was really beyond their control. Only manifesting when they were directly threatened.

“Grant.” When there was no response from him, Chase called out louder to the distracted man,”Yo Carter, we got Avery on line two. It’s secure, but not for long.”

Kyle picked up the phone nodding towards Chase with gratitude. “Avery, tell Walker I’m gonna need some more time.”

He could hear the muffled chuckling on the other end.

“You know that’s not going to fly Carter. Sebastian’s already made all the arrangements for this get together. Not to mention how pissed off Kal will be.”

“I don’t give a shit about Kal, Jade can deal with him.”

“You know she’d have your ass for that too, Carter if you shove him off on her again.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Why can’t you meet the scheduled date anyways?”

He mumbled something under his breath and hesitantly repeated it when Avery asked him to.

“My bikes not gonna be up for another long trip by then.”

Suddenly he heard the phone change hands on the other side. “You’ve kidding me, right Carter because I know you would not mess with Sebastian’s hard worked plan, the opportunity to hang out with your nephew, catch up with Jade, or the chance to see Jasmine because of your stupid bike.”

“It’s not stupid.”

“Oh for god sakes Ky…Carter.”

Even though they couldn’t see each other they could picture the other at the opposite ends of the country, closing their eyes and holding their breath knowing it was exactly what they were doing.

Liz only opened her eyes to check and reassure herself that Avery and Sebastian were busy, which they were. And Kyle turned to check that Chase wasn’t listening in, which Chase had stopped doing once he realized it was Commander Walker on the other line and not Avery anymore.

“You’ll be there in three days at nightfall. No excuses.”

“Sure Liv see you then.” It was only a letter away from her old name, but it was difference enough.

He was smiling when he hung up the phone and Chase shook his head at him.

“You know Carter it makes no sense, you call and rile her up. Jasmine might think your stepping out on her.”

Kyle ignored Chase. He wasn’t about to explain the months on end Liz used to fold up into herself and forget the world because the pain caused by the absences of Max Evans was too much to deal with. He didn’t need to explain that he was just making sure their leader still had her head on straight and her emotions, the few she let herself feel nowadays at least, weren’t being neglected.

Chase spoke up a few minutes later, “So you want me to get to work on your bike then?”

Kyle gave a devilish smirk, “Nah that’s okay, I’ll just take yours.”

TBC…

[starcrazed]

Part 5

If anyone bothered to ask he would have told them those three days were the longest of his life.

But no one asked.

He was sure those with him didn’t care.

And the ones that did were too busy getting ready themselves.

When he got to the spot he couldn’t help but laugh at the building Maria had Kal construct with some of his profits from his Hollywood days.

It was a simple building, but the sign above the door way was priceless to him. Czech’s Roadside Café.

Only Maria.

It didn’t surprise him that he was the first one to arrive here either. He usually was considering he was meeting three women who spent who knows how long getting ready sometimes.

There was no need for him to turn around when the door opened to figure out who was in next. If years of knowing her didn’t let him now how prompt she usually was, the static electricity that had the hair on his arms rising told him that one Olivia Walker had just walked into the Czech’s Café.

She sat down next to him silent for a moment before breaking the heighten emotions of awareness and excitement that surrounded him.

“Hey Kyle.”

It was the one place on Earth that they still used their real names. The only place they knew without a doubt was safe for them to be who they once were. Who they wanted to be, so badly once again.

“Hi Lizzie.”

He wrapped her in a hug so tight it made it hard for both of them to breathe.

Not so silently, Maria and Aiden were the next ones to arrive.

“But mom…”

“I already told you no Aiden. It’s too dangerous running off with Kal besides he’s gone for weeks at a time. I’d miss you too much.”

Kyle saw Aiden roll his dark golden brown eyes he inherited from his father but allowed her to pull him into a hug before they joined the counter at Kyle’s other side.

“Hi Uncle Kyle.”

“Hi kiddo how’s it going?”

Kyle barely heard Aiden’s response as he watched from the corner of his eye as Maria gripped Liz in another hug that threatened both of their oxygen levels. Somehow it reassured him when he saw the tear tracks on both their checks and the whispered murmurings of chica.

When Ava finally strolled into the Café ten minutes later they had moved to the corner booth that was so familiar yet so different. Kyle paused a minute in trying to greet her allowing Aiden to reach her first and pick her up as he spun her around once before dropping her back to the ground.

“Hi Aunt Ava. I missed you.”

“Aww… Aiden, I missed you too buddy.”

She gave Maria a hug who also stood to greet her. Then Ava dropped into Kyle’s lap and reached around him to give Liz a hug.

“Hey cornball.”

Kyle smiled as just like always Liz blushed and smiled at the reformed punk.

“Hi Ava”

Kyle didn’t mind that Ava appeared to have no intention of removing herself from his lap. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips before turning her attention to the center of the table where the two orbs rested.

“You guys are really gonna do this?”

Liz sighed tiredly, just like the rest of them were.

“Maria we’ve been through this before.”

Ava gave her an understanding smile, “This point in the game Maria, we don’t really have too many options left.”

It was Maria’s turn to sigh, “I get that guys I really do. And I’m not trying to be difficult," she paused to glare at Aiden who snorted, before continuing, “It’s just what about what Nasedo said the first time.”

Kyle couldn’t help but laugh, “Yeah because he was known for his honesty. Besides Maria, we’ve taken care of all the enemies that would be concerned with a signal from the orbs.”

“We keep telling ourselves that, but…”

Liz cut her off, “No buts, I’ve checked, Ava’s doubled checked and Kal’s triple checked. Any alien threat to this planet is no longer actually on the planet for the time being. Now is our shot to do this.”

Kyle saw the doubt still clouding Maria’s eyes. She was looking around quickly enough that he couldn’t name the other emotion lurking in her emerald gaze though.

“What if it doesn’t work?”

Ava’s bright blue eyes commanded Maria’s green ones to meet hers. “Then at least we tried. And it will work. I feel it in my bones.”

Kyle ran a hand done her spine trying to feel it too; needing her confidence. She leaned back into him and he wrapped his arms around her stomach. He supposed that would work for now. As Ava settled against him he looked up to Maria and realized what that other emotion was, fear.

“Ria.”

He paused waiting for her to look at him which she only did when Liz took her hand that was resting on the table and squeezed it tightly, while Aiden wrapped his arm around her shoulder shielding her as best he could from the world he was born into.

“Why are you so scared of doing this?”

Kyle watched her patiently as she gulped a few times trying to answer out loud.

“What if they can’t help us…what if they don’t want to help us? What if they don’t care anymore?”

Kyle caught the fear in Liz’s eyes even though she was quick to hide it. He imagined there was a glimmer of doubt in his own light blue eyes knowing the same thoughts have crossed his mind more then once in the passed three weeks.

Suddenly, Ava’s small fist slammed onto the table causing it to rattle. The two orbs bounced off of it momentarily, and the three adults turned and gawked at her while Aiden looked at her admiringly knowing she was going to set them straight.

First she pointed at Liz, “Don’t be an idiot.” Then she pointed at Maria, “You either.”

It made Kyle laugh until she gentle smacked him in the gut, “Don’t pretend you weren’t thinking the same thing as these two fools.” She paused for a second then quickly added, “And don’t you dare try using that smile on me.”

This had the other two laughing and Kyle could tell Ava’s anger instantly settled at the sound before she launched into a speech he was sure she ran through her head at least twice these past three weeks.

“Both of them love you just as much as you both love them…” Ava trailed off as if realizing something of her own then she shook her head and seemed to change tracks. Kyle watched oddly aroused at the glitter in her eye.

“You know what, forget it. I’m not gonna sit here and convince the both of you that Max and Michael love you. It’s a waste of my breath and all our time. You don’t believe it, then you’re not really worth that kinda love that exists between you guys. So we gonna do this or not because whether you acknowledge it or not Earth needs the Granilith and they have it.”

Maria was the first one to stand up since she wasn’t blocked by another person or a certain blonde sitting in their lap.

Ava hopped off Kyle and he scouted out of the booth and pulled Liz to her feet also. Kyle picked up one orb and handed it to Ava before taking the other one and going over to Aiden and handing it to him.

“You ready for this kiddo?”

“Yeah, I think it’s about time I meet my dad.”

Kyle smiled and couldn’t help but to glance at Maria to see her reaction. He was happy to find her teary eyed by smiling.

“So how does this work exactly?”

Ava looked between the four of them while Maria began to pace around the small eating area. A trait of Michael’s that she picked up long ago.

“I think it would work best if it was Liz and Aiden, then me and you.”

Kyle shrugged knowing the least about all this alien business despite his blue sparks and healing abilities, Aiden also was quick to accept this setup. Kyle tried not to groan out loud when Liz asked a question. Wondering briefly what she did with her list.

“Wouldn’t using the Four Square connections work better? Zan and Ava then Rath and Vilandra?”

Ava nodded, “Sure if we had the originals, but we don’t so we’re separated the two with the sketchy powers.”

Kyle’s eyes widen realizing she was talking about Liz and him, “I resent that.”

“Quiet dear.”

He rolled his eyes but obliged as Ava continued to explain to Liz, “You have a really strong connection to Max, and since Aiden is Michael’s son it holds that he has a really strong connection to him. Kyle’s connection to Isabel isn’t that strong, but since I really am Ava it should balance out in the end.”

Liz thought about it for a moment before nodding, “Right.”

Kyle smiled at them all before stepping closer to Ava and joining his hands on the orb, “Lets do this.”

Liz walked over to Aiden and wrapped her hands around the orb.

Maria stopped pacing and looked at the four of them with their eyes closed, “Kay you guys focus…and I’ll just…wait…”

TBC…

[starcrazed]

Part 6

November 2016 (six months earlier)

Staring at the papers in front of her for so long had caused them to blur. She could no longer make out the charts and comments left by Sebastian, but only wavy lines and scribble. Giving up she looked up from her desk and out the tiny window that was found in the even smaller office. She tugged at her short brown hair hating herself for cutting it so long ago and never allowing it to grow back. Not willing to have such a painful reminder of him.

It’s why she loved the city so much. Not only for its constantly changing climate that was so different from Roswell, New Mexico, but also because with the city lights very rarely did she see the stars to which he had fled.

She sighed as she ran out of hair to pull in frustration and focused on the view outside.

After all these years she couldn’t decided what she liked better.

The colors of autumn or the white dusting of snow each winter. Each acted like a soothing balm over her broken soul. Somehow it was these seasons that managed to heal her in a way Kyle’s constant loyalty and humor or Maria’s insistent ramblings never could. Even sweet little Aiden could only do so much for a heart that had been pushed to its limit many times.

“Olivia, Jasmine’s on line three. She says she has good news.”

Avery waited for a second before the pools of brown of the Commander’s eyes focused on her. Then she repeated her statement, “Jasmine. Line three.”

She nodded, following her down the short hallway before sitting down at the control desk and picking up the land line pressing the blinking button.

“Walker.”

Sometimes the clipped emotionless tone she adapted these days worried her, but in favor of self preservation she did nothing to stop it.

“So friendly, it’s no wonder you get along so well with the leader types.”

Liz was glad the other woman couldn’t see the smile struggling to makes its presence known and gratefully Avery couldn’t see the delight dancing in her eyes despite her best efforts to stop it.

“Well at least it’s still a mystery who you’re spending waaayyy to much time with.”

“Carter will not appreciate that if he finds out you’ve been talking about him again with such low regards.”

As much as she loved her friends and as much as these brief interactions with them really were one of the few things nowadays keeping her sane; she could only indulge herself for so long.

“Avery said you had good news?”

She couldn’t see it but she could almost hear the eye roll on the other end of the line.

“Yeah, I dunno why I didn’t think of it sooner or why Kal didn’t mention them. We could use the orbs to contact them.”

She almost dropped the phone as she pulled it away from her. One sentence should not be able to change her life so quickly or invoke that much pain.

Hell those two words alone should not have that kind of power to hurt her, but they still did. The orbs already changed her life once, followed by a summer of endless second thoughts and heartache. And then there was them. The reason for all of this. Not that she blamed them. She was one of the few who didn’t blame them. Even with all the pain they had caused her. Contacting them. It was what she had been trying to find a way to do for so long now. Getting in touch with her erstwhile hybrid friends.

Liz didn’t know why she was surprised that one sentence could change so much so quickly. In the past sixteen years she had seen things change with so much less than a sentence.

“Wh...what?”

Stalling for time, or at least a moment to gather her emotions back under control, she pretended to need Ava to explain it all again hoping the second time would be less nerve racking.

“Liv…”

Very rarely did they shorten her new name. It was too close to her old one. But it held the desired effect.

“Fine. I’ll have Avery contact Chase, and Carter can get them. It might be a while though; he’s on that mission right now with Dustin searching for more people that need help.”

“Or...I could.”

She hated being the bad guy, but leaders had to make the tough decisions. Sometimes people weren’t happy with her choices, but her choices so far had kept them alive.

“Sorry Jasmine, after he has them you guys can...”

She didn’t have to finish the sentence. Didn’t really want to because it would only remind her of all the things she couldn’t do. Things she never got to experience with the love of her life.

“Right.”

After a moment of silence a thought occurred to her, “What made you remember them?”

“I was just remembering.”

Nodding even though the other woman couldn’t see her, she glanced at Avery who was motioning at her to wrap it up.

“Jas, I gotta go. Make hesitant plans for the end of April. I’ll get back to you closer to the date.”

“Sure thing Walker.”

With a click the line went dead and she was standing from the control desk and fleeing the room missing the concerned looks exchanged by Avery and Sebastian.

She made it all the way to her room before her hands started to sparkle with the green electricity that was a painful physical reminder to all the emotional pain he left behind.

It was times like these she was desperate to be surrounded by her three bestest friends in the world. It was only when she was teetering on that emotional edge that she wished she never decided to separate the four of them. Had they lived closer together, they could surround her with a protective cocoon of their love until she was stable enough to deal with the after math of the Third World War.

Before she knew it her bed was on fire courtesy of the sparks shooting from her hands. Her eyes widen in shock; it has been years since she accidentally started something on fire. When the closed door behind her opened suddenly she jumped and moved aside as Sebastian rushed in with the fire extinguisher.

When the fire was finally out he turned around to find her sliding down the wall and resting her head on her bended knees.

“Olivia, it’s okay.”

He gently placed his hand on her arm. Liz looked up slowly staring at his dark hand on her olive skin for a long time before finding the courage to look up into his bottomless light green eyes. The color reminded her of Maria, but these eyes were so much quieter. They matched the soft-spoken gentle personality of Sebastian.

Liz calmed and looked back down to find her hands no longer sparkling.

“Thanks.”

He nodded and offered her a hand to help her stand up. By the time Liz was back on her two feet all emotions were gone from her eyes and she was back in control.

“Have we heard from Europe?”

Sebastian couldn’t help the smile that filtered across his face for a moment before he answered her.

“No, Europe has been down for three months now and it was struggling before that. Asia said they were going to help, but that was before the plague hit them hard. Resources are being snapped up left in right overseas. We’ll be lucky if they don’t start another war over what’s left.”

“They will not start another war.”

“If you say so Walker.”

Liz nodded thinking to herself, the world couldn’t take it if what was left of Europe and Asia were at odds with each other. Besides America they were the only continents left. Australia had literally gone into the ocean after being bombard so much. First from the human war and then by Khivar’s forces.

It was only recently that they had finished bury all the bodies in Africa. Liz was positive not a soul was left in that continent. Sad considering man evolved from there.

Now with Europe not talking to them and Asia dealing with the latest plague outbreak Liz cursed silently to herself.

How much longer would this go on?

How much longer could it go on?

Earth’s resistance had managed to deny Khivar his desire to conquer the planet, but it came at a cost. A very steep cost. The planet itself was dying. Slowly, but surely. It was taking the weaken population with it too. The only thing Liz new with enough power to give Earth a jump start of renewal was on a different planet. And there was no way to contact them.

At least she had thought so until Ava’s phone call. Now there was a way. At least a possibility.

Liz went back into the control room pushing thoughts of the Granilith out of her mind as Sebastian headed to the Resource Center to track inventory and see if they could spare anything for Europe.

“Avery, I need you to get me in contact with Quad Three, tell Chase I need to talk to Carter as soon as he and Dustin get back.”

Avery nodded, but looked less then thrilled at the idea of being forced to talk to Chase. “Anything else Commander?”

“Yeah, page me when he calls back. I’m going out.”

The other members in the control room stilled at the quiet comment.

“Out where Olivia?”

Liz turned to the concerned blue eyes of her friend. For as much as Avery looked to be Maria’s opposite they sure had a lot in common. Their protectiveness over Liz, their independent attitude, and their never ending loyalty. It was only the strains of long brown hair that sometimes reminded Liz this wasn’t the bubbly blonde she had grown up with.

“Searching.”

TBC…

[starcrazed]

Aliases
Liz Parker- Olivia Walker
Maria DeLuca- Jade Carson
Aiden Charles Guerin- Aiden Carson
Kyle Valenti- Carter Grant
Ava Valenti- Jasmine Reed
Jim Valenti- Noah Moore

Part 7

Searching is what they called it. After all it was exactly what they were doing, searching for others that were left behind. Not left behind like how Max had left her behind, but left behind by the destruction and devastation of war.

With the end of the war in September of 2010 the world population was struggling. The governments were in shambles, the economy had more then failed, and militaries were gone. World War Three was started by a few well-planned tricks by Khivar, but it was the humans who began and ended their own destruction. The war ended because there was no one left who supported it. There was no one left to pay for it, and most importantly no one left to fight it.

Families were fragmented. Either killed by the war or separated in their search for a place that still had daily necessities.

Electricity was a thing of the past. Oil, gas, coal, all gone. Industrial cities stood silent and dark without the people there to give them purpose. Most lands were incapable of vegetation. Water resources were polluted. Wildlife was being killed off more quickly then at any other point in history as humans hunted for food to feed what was left of their families.

Squabbles between nations became impossible when the fate of humanity was on the line.

When Khivar made his announcement Liz knew she could no longer pretend that her soul was never touched by Max Evans. The very fact that he saved her life made her responsible to fight because she was one of the few who comprehended the enormity of the situation. Her and four other people on Earth realized what it was they were dealing with and because Max Evans touched her soul eleven years ago from that date giving her a home she never realized she was missing. She felt it was her obligation to do what she could to protect it.

Protecting their love meant believing in it and not giving up on it even though he left her. Even though he slept and impregnated the girl who murdered her best friend. Even though she never knew if he’d come back to her. To his home. But nonetheless it would be here if he ever came back.

Because it took less then five minutes after Khivar’s announcement for Liz Parker to realize she was still in love with Max Evans despite how much she had avoided it the past nine years. Despite how much she hurt because of her lies and his betrayal. Despite the harmful words they exchanged and despite his leaving her for Tess and their baby. Despite that they caused more pain to each other than anyone should have to endure, Liz knew she would always love Max.

When the others finally got to Boston Liz had the plan laid out. After Ava swiped a hand over their ids, Liz divided the nation into four and they each picked a quadrant. By this point Liz was aware that Ava had recalled many of her memories from her past life and she assigned her and Kyle with his degree in engineering to build her a weapon that would eliminate the Skins. A weapon any human could handle to protect Earth from Khivar.

She looked at Maria holding the hand of eight year old Aiden and almost cried, but instead she took control of her emotions. Emotions that she had gotten good at ignoring and told Maria she had to find Kal Langley. The other protector Ava told them about. Maria had to find Kal because Liz and Kyle would need training and because one day Aiden would too and Ava shouldn’t have the responsibility of training them and protecting them while they tried to figure it out. They needed Kal because he had so much more knowledge then any of them and it was time that he started sharing.

Liz told them she would contact the leaders. When they looked at her confused she explained that the leaders of the other nations, what was left of them anyway, had to be informed to what was going on and Liz would be the one to tell them.

By the New Year, Kyle and Ava where still working on the advanced weapon Liz requested, but the friendship that had developed eight years ago and the flirtatious vibes they sent each other every day for the past five finally exploded. When they held the very first meeting at the Four Corners, before the Czech’s Roadside Café existed, Liz and Maria where shocked to find Kyle and Ava had married. Maria had smiled and held Aiden closer despite the eight year old's protests. Liz congratulated them and fled before her tears of regret slid down her face in front of them.

It took them a while to get organized into the functioning resistance they are now. When Maria found Kal he was not happy and he did not go willingly at first.

Maria’s persistence and Aiden’s adorable antics as a hybrid child finally convinced him. With Kal came Blake his assistant and Dustin.

Kal worked to recruit more leaders to the resistance while Kyle and Ava continued to work on the weapon and Liz met with Sebastian trying to find a way to preserve Earth’s limited resources.

It was actually Aiden who pointed out all the lonely people lost on the side of roads throughout the northwest quadrant Maria and he called home.

All it took was the simple question, “Mommy why do these people never go home?” before Maria assigned herself a new task.

She decided while Liz was busy saving Earth so humanity could have a home, she was going to work at providing the individuals with homes.

By this point Maria, Liz, Kyle, and Ava had gained the respect of Kal who decided he would do what he could to help them. Maria was convinced the Kal just couldn’t bear to see another planet he loved fall into the hands of Khivar.

First Kal built them their Czech’s Roadside Café. Then he went out on the very first search for those who had lost their homes.

It was Kal’s money and powers that built the small communities were the survivors lived. Ava too had given a hand with her own abilities, to build a town or two for those who didn’t have anywhere to go anymore. For those people who needed a new start.

A lot of the survivors that they found chose to stay within the community and work towards rebuilding not just their lives, but society.

They had scientist and farmers working on the land in order to get it to grow vegetation once again. There were school teachers and social workers teaching the children and helping them deal with their grief. Then their were others like Grace and Hayden a young married couple who had lost their children in the war and became just as dedicated as Liz and the others to see an end to Khivar. After Blake and Dustin they were some of the first allies Liz, Maria, Kyle, and Ava had gained.

Liz and the others weren’t very trustworthy considering their history, but each of them had two people directly under them for support in leading the quadrants. Grace and Hayden wanted to stay together so they moved to the Southeast to help Ava who was busy working with Kyle on the weapon.

After finishing the weapon Kyle started searching too while Ava focused on helping Liz getting better communication lines to Europe and Asia. It was piece of cake once Hayden opened up a line of communication with his cousin Avery in England. She managed to set up a base of operations there for those who had stepped forward to lead Europe.

A few months later Avery crossed the Atlantic by boat and became part of Liz’s team. Her dark hair and bright personality contrasted well with Sebastian’s soft-spoken ways and dark skin. Kal sent Dustin to work with Kyle to train the men who volunteered for their new military. And since Kal was away so often searching for people in need of homes he fired his assistant Blake and put him on Maria duty. Kyle’s searches were almost as successful as Kal who had the benefit of not needing to eat or sleep. Chase was the last one to join the team. Kyle found him on a random trip into Mexico. It turns out Chase was really good with computers too and once he joined Kyle’s team with Dustin three of the four quadrants had pretty impeccable communication and technological resources considering the state of things.

Each of the four quadrants now had a team of three leading them, protecting them, and working to provide homes for them. The Northwest had a total of twenty-seven communities, more then the other three combined. The Northeast was second with a totally of eleven communities while the Southeast had seven.

The Southwest although the troops trained there under Kyle and Dustin’s command didn’t stay there and for that reason Kyle’s quadrant only had four communities for those trying to rebuild their lives.

Liz wandered the empty streets of what used to be Boston. Watching as white flakes fell from the sky and a few of the last brown leaves dropped from the branches of trees. She cursed herself for not bringing a warmer coat. It was after all almost December in Boston. There was no chance of a heat wave in the middle of December in the northwest. Thoughts of another heat wave so long ago immediately warmed her up and made her walk faster to put those memories behind her.

With the cold breeze, she pushed away the Decembers of long ago and remembers that again she had spent Thanksgiving alone and would spend Christmas in much the same way. Ava got to spend it with Jim Valenti who moved out there after Amy died. Kyle and Ava weren't married for very long at that point but Jim had already begun to think of Ava as a daughter. Something she couldn’t believe after what happened with Tess. Maria had Aiden and even Kal to spend the holidays with. And Kyle had her parents. What a laugh. Her parents left Roswell, but they didn’t want to leave the southwest; it was their home.

Thoughts of home inevitably led Liz to think about her home. She thought of Roswell and before long she was remembering the amber eyes of her soul mate. Thinking of the communication orbs invoked so many emotions in her it was hard to breathe. There was the actual experience of finding the orbs, before Nasedo, before Tess, before destiny. Then there was the orbs actual message, a message Ava said isn’t real and Kal agrees has more falsities to it then truths.

It was probably two years ago that Liz realized that a huge source of power was needed to save the Earth from total decay. The only source of power she knew of was the Granilith. Ever since then they have been scrambling for a way to try and make contact with another planet. She was surprise that it took them so long to think of the orbs. But knowing how much pain they caused for her and Maria she wasn’t that surprised. They had put the orbs out of their minds and all that stuff with the orbs happened before Kyle joined the Club so he never dealt with them. She couldn’t blame Kal or Ava for not thinking of them sooner; it was just good that they thought of them now. Hopefully they would work.

Hopefully they would be able to contact their friends from so long ago who left them for another planet.

Who left them for a home they had searched for all their lives, not realizing they were leaving their real homes behind.

Who were betrayed by one of their own, only to kill her a year later and probably struggled everyday since they first arrived on Antar to get back here. Back to Earth. Back to their home.

Liz had to tell herself that. She had to believe that they were fighting just as hard to get home as she was in bringing them home. Otherwise why bother to fight at all?

TBC…

[starcrazed]

Aliases
Liz Parker- Olivia Walker
Maria DeLuca- Jade Carson
Aiden Charles Guerin- Aiden Carson
Kyle Valenti- Carter Grant
Ava Valenti- Jasmine Reed
Jim Valenti- Noah Moore

Allies
NE: Avery & Sebastian
SW: Chase & Dustin
SE: Grace & Hayden
NW: Blake & Kal

Part 8

March 2017

“You sure you can handle this while I’m gone. It shouldn’t be that long, but who knows with Aiden.”

“Jasmine I told you not to worry we can hold down the fort while your in the mountains.”

Ava rolled her eyes at the pair of them.

“I just…if Kal calls and Grace has to go out again, you’ll be on your own till I get back.”

She watched as Hayden glanced at his wife before speaking, “And if she has to go out again it will be fine. We’ve been doing this a long time Reed, I think we have the hang of it.”

“Too long if you ask me.” Grace crossed her arms over her chest in frustration.

“What are the possibilities of me having to go out again?”

Ava raised an eyebrow, “You mean undercover?”

Grace nodded her head, her red wavy hair moving with it as her brown eyes clouded with worry.

“Slim, any forces still out there would be too small and distrustful to pick up a stray human. I’d say your days of playing spy are over. If you have to go out at all it’d probably be for supplies or people.”

Hayden let out a sigh of relief and Grace melted into his side as he wrapped a protective arm around her. Ava felt a pang of jealousy wishing Kyle was there to protect her too.

“When are you heading out?”

Ava was already walking away when he asked the question, “After lunch. Make sure you guys stay in contact with Chase and Avery while I’m gone okay.”

The other two laughed and Ava halted to turn back looking at them questioningly.

“Avery will hate you for this you know.”

“What…”

Hayden carried on the explanation, “Forcing her to be in constant communication with Chase while you’re gone. He’ll get way to much pleasure out of annoying her. You know how those two are.”

Ava smiled before leaving. She did indeed now how those two were. Very much like she imagined Michael and Maria used to be, very much how she and Kyle were. Chase and Avery were a strange pair; they were a perfect blend of flirtatious bickering. Maria couldn’t stand to be in the same room as them. Ava knew it broke her heart.

Ava grabbed the keys to the truck after lunch and headed straight for the garage. Four days later she found herself in northern Idaho parked in front of a small cabin.

As soon as she slammed the car door shut Maria was running out the front door and pulling her into a hug.

“Oh Jasmine, I’ve missed you.”

“Missed you too Jade, what’s the problem?”

Maria rolled her eyes and Ava turned her startled blue eyes to the house at the loud explosion.

“That,” pointing to the upstairs window Maria continued, “is the problem. I tried Kal, but Blake couldn’t get into contact with him so I had to call you. None of the meditating techniques are working. I don’t know what to do.”

As she finished Maria was opening the front door and leading Ava inside, “Jade is that you? Bring up a garbage bag will you?”

Ava’s eyes went wide and she quickly followed Maria up the stairs. At the top she ducked the flying objects and dived towards Blake who was squatting behind a chair. Maria stayed on the stairs out of sight and hopefully out of harms way.

Ava yelled to Maria over the sound of items crashing into walls, “Jade I thought we dealt with this when he was thirteen?”

“Yeah me too.” Even across the room Ava could make out the concern and stress in Maria’s green eyes. Duller now with the years of war and time spent without Michael.

Ava turned to Blake his pale blue eyes were filled with worry and his black hair was standing more on edge then usual.

“Hey Blake.” She offered a smile in greeting.

“Hi Jasmine. It’s been a while.”

She nodded focusing on all the damage Aiden was doing as he sat in the middle of the room and the tornado of stuff flew around him.

“How are Gracie and Hayden.”

“They’re good. I think they’re trying to have a baby actually, but don’t mention that because I think it’s suppose to be a secret”

“Really?”

Ava watched as his pale blue eyes became hopeful as he turned to stare at Maria. Too bad the wall was blocking his view.

“Never gonna happen Blake.”

He sighed, “I know, but I can’t help it. She’s amazing.”

“She loves Aiden’s father.”

Blake dropped his voice even though there was no way Maria could hear him over the whirlwind of Aiden’s things.

“I get that Jasmine alright. You don’t have to remind me every time you see me.”

“Obviously I do if you’re still crushing on her like a school boy.”

“It’s not just a crush Jas…it’s…”

“Oh, Blake.”

“Forget it Jasmine okay. Just forget it.”

“I just don’t want to see either of you hurt.”

“Don’t worry Jasmine I would never do anything to jeopardize our friendship. I’m not an idiot.”

Ava stared at him for a moment longer seeing the truth in his pale gaze before turning her attention back to Aiden.

She closed her eyes and gently entered his mind and then carefully knocked him unconscious. As soon as his head hit the pillow all the stuff came crashing to the floor.

Maria snuck her head in the doorway before entering cautiously. “Thanks Jas, did you see what was wrong before you knocked him out?”

Ava shook her head, “We should be able to talk to him when he wakes up though. I doubt he’ll have enough energy when he wakes up to cause another tornado.”

“You underestimate his energy.”

Ava laughed, “Since I’ve known his mother almost as long as he’s been alive I doubt I could ever underestimate that kids energy levels.”

Without further discussion the three of them began picking up the room and putting stuff back to its original position. Ava would occasionally wave her hand over a broken item to fix it. And Maria would make comments about the handiness of aliens. Blake would roll his eyes but agree with her.

Two hours later Ava and Maria were in the kitchen making dinner while Blake ran out to the offices to see if there was any word from Kal or the other quads.

“So…”

Ava looked up into the questioning eyes of Maria before quickly looking back into her cup of tea.

“Jas, you don’t have to pretend that I don’t know he’s in love with me.”

Ava’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“You know…that he…how?”

She watched Maria roll her eyes. “Please, I live in the same house as him. It’s hard not to realize he’s in love with me.”

Ava didn’t say anything at first, but then she had to ask, “What about you Jay?”

She watched as Maria’s green eyes turned towards her sparking with anger and disbelief, brighter for a moment as the emotions swirled in them. “I didn’t mean it like that Jade! I know you love Michael. I just, well Blake isn’t exactly hard on the eyes.” She waited as Maria nodded, “And he would give his life to protect Aiden.” Again Maria nodded but didn’t say a word, the storm of emotions still brewing in her green depths was enough for Ava, “But he’s not Michael.”

Maria simply smiled, “Maybe in another life Jasmine, I could have loved Blake, but I can’t love him like that in this life because there is a Michael. Even if he is galaxies away he’ll always have my heart.”

With a half shrug Maria left Ava in the kitchen and went back upstairs to watch over Aiden. The only other piece of Michael Guerin that Maria had besides his heart.

~*~*~

It was early the next morning when Aiden woke up. Ava was at his bedside when he did.

“Hey Aiden. How you feeling?”

“Aunt Jasmine? Confused. What are you doing here?”

“Your mom says you needed some help?”

“OH.”

“You want to tell me what happen?”

Aiden laid back down and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes.

Ava waited patiently for him to tell her what was bothering him. What happen to make him lose control of his emotions and thus his powers.

“I got a flash.”

Still Ava waited.

“I was moving the napkin holder and suddenly I get this flash of my dad and how confused he is because mom is making him feel human. And despite how much he hates feeling that way he can’t stay away from her. But he’s gone now Aunt Ava, he’s gone and it’s not fair. It makes me angry and I hate him for not being here. I hate Khivar and I hate the whole situation.”

Ava ignored the slip of her name and focused on sending the few items that had levitated back to their proper spots.

“Aiden trust me, I know how much this sucks. I get how unfair it is to be in a situation you never asked to be thrown into and how painful it is to watch your loved ones suffer because of it.”

“So what do you do?”

“You survive. You find your home and you fight like hell to keep it. You surround yourself with those people who love you and you do anything for them knowing they’d risk everything for you.”

“What if you can only have half your home?”

Ava’s heart broke for him then. “Aiden sweetie, we’re trying to get them back. We’re trying to bring your dad back. I promise I’ll keep trying with every fiber in my being until the day I die to bring him back for you.”

Aiden shook his head quickly and Ava became confused, “Not for me, Aunt Jasmine. Mom needs him. She’s so sad without him. And Aunt Liv too. She needs Uncle Max.”

Ava closed her eyes unwilling to imagine what it would be like if she had to go to Antar and leave Kyle behind.

“Soon Aiden, Carter is working to get the stuff we need to communicate with them. Think you can last a little while longer. Be brave for you mom?”

Aiden nodded, “Sure, I do anything for my mom. She’s my world.” Aiden blushed the rushed on, “Don’t tell her I said that.”

Ava smiled and messed up his hair before standing. “I’m gonna go start breakfast. Come on down when you’re ready.”

She made it three steps out of the hallway before Maria wrapped her arms around her. “Thank you.” Maria lowered her voice before continuing, “Thank you so much Ava. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

Ava smiled and hugged Maria back just as tightly whispering just as quietly, “Ditto, M.”

The next day Ava was back on the road headed towards base.

TBC…

[starcrazed]

Aliases
Liz Parker- Olivia Walker
Maria DeLuca- Jade Carson
Aiden Charles Guerin- Aiden Carson
Kyle Valenti- Carter Grant
Ava Valenti- Jasmine Reed
Jim Valenti- Noah Moore

Allies
NE: Avery & Sebastian
SW: Chase & Dustin
SE: Grace & Hayden
NW: Blake & Kal

Part 9

April 2017

Sliding down the door and onto the carpet Ava tried to stifle the sob. It was sad really considering Liz and Maria never got to see the men they loved and here she was a sobbing mess because she had to go a few weeks before she got to see her husband again.

Pathetic.

She almost laughed thinking how she would have turned her nose up at such behavior when she was a teenager.

She heard him start his bike and ride away. It was twenty minutes before she found the strength to stand. Numbly she walked to the bathroom and showered, she placed her hand on the wall making sure it was a hot shower to soothe her aching heart. Stepping out of the shower she dried her hair with the wave of her hand before towel drying the rest of herself and slowly dressing.

When she finished she placed one hand protectively over her flat stomach and wasn’t all that surprised when a tiny glow responded to the touch. She smiled and rushed out of the bathroom to tell Kyle the good news before remembering he was already gone and she’d have to wait to tell him.

She debated following him, but knew she’d be too unwilling to leave his side a second time in such a short time span. So she decided to wait until after they contacted the others with the orbs. After they made contact with Antar and secured Earth’s future, she’d tell him about their future as a family.

~*~*~

May 2017

“Hayden, what the hell are they doing?”

He couldn’t help but chuckle not having seen the fire dancing in her blue eyes, “Chase is messing with the firewalls and its pissing Avery off.”

“Tell him to stop messing around and just ask her out already.”

Grace chose that moment to walk in through the door, “Please Jasmine, we all know that boy is incapable of such direct action.”

By now Hayden was full out laughing. When the two women looked at him he only managed to point towards the control desk.

They saw the blinking light at the same time. Grace joined in Hayden’s laughter and Ava couldn’t help but smile even as she cursed under her breath.

“So everyone knows I like Avery.”

Ava heard Chase ask over the static that filled the line his tone was one of unbelieving.

“Sorry dude.” Ava listened as suddenly they seemed to regress to teenage boys.

“Does Avery know I like her?”

“I dunno man, you’d have to talk to Walker.”

“She’s your cousin dude! Can’t you get the scoop for me?”

Ava grabbed the mic from Hayden, “For the love of god Chase stop acting Aiden’s age and grow a pair. Tell Carter I may be a little late for the meeting next week. I have to make a quick stop to check out something.”

“Kay.”

Ava hit a button to disconnect the line and the glared at Hayden for a moment to show how much she disapproved of them gossiping over the fragile lines they needed for communication.

He wilted under her gaze, "Relay that message to Walker too."she spun on her heel and headed for the cafeteria.

“She’s cranky when she’s pregnant.”

Grace slapped her hand over Hayden’s mouth her brown eyes going wide, “Shh, she’s not suppose to know that we know.”

Hayden rolled his identical brown eyes, “She didn’t hear me. She was to busy being pissed off.”

Grace nodded still looking doubtful. When Hayden pulled her into his lap, “Sweetie trust me, it’s the pregnancy hormones. She didn’t hear me.”

She rolled her eyes, “You better be nicer to me when I get pregnant.”

Hayden smiled briefly before place a kiss on her freckled nose then covering her lips with his own.

Ava, despite having advance hearing due to her alien genetics did not hear them because of the pregnancy hormones as Hayden explained. She was worried. There were reports of a small Skin camp in Arkansas which made no sense on many accounts. But she still had to check it out and make sure the rumors were just rumors. If not she would have to deal with the Skins which wouldn’t be a problem, just a hassle when she had other more important things to do like contact Antar and tell Kyle he was going to be a father.

Speaking of fathers…

“Jasmine! I’ve been looking for you for the past two weeks. We keep missing each other. How was Carter?”

Ava cringed as she turned around to the kind blue eyes of Jim Valenti. To tell the truth she had been avoiding him for the past two weeks knowing she wouldn’t be able to not tell him she was pregnant and she wanted to tell Kyle first. She smiled at his question feeling herself already caving to tell him he was going to be a grandfather.

“Hi Noah.”

Jim wrapped her in a hug, “I missed you sweetie.”

She smiled bright for a moment and then realized her eyes were filling with tears and Jim began to panic, “What’s wrong? Was it Carter? Oh Jas…”

He stopped speaking when a sob escaped her throat and he pulled her close making shushing noises in his throat trying to calm her.

After a few minutes she pulled away and Jim was confused because although she was still crying there was no sorrow or signs of distress in her eyes if anything they were sparkling with joy.

“Jas?”

“You’re gonna be a grandpa.” It was all she got out before she wrapped her arms around his waist again and buried her face in his chest. It took a moment for her words to make sense, but once they did Ava found her self being hugged just as tight as she was hugging Jim, and she was pretty sure she felt a few tear drops land on the top of her head.

“I wanted to tell him, but he had already left when I realized. And I didn’t want to tell him over the phone so I figure I could tell him when we meet at Czech Café and pray he forgives me for telling you first.”

“Jas calm down. Carter will be thrilled and I think he’ll be okay that you told me before him knowing you at least tried two weeks to avoid me to prevent yourself from telling me.”

Ava blushed and looked up again, “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry about it hun. You have everything you need for the trip?”

She nodded and checked the clock on the wall before speaking up, “Yeah I’m leaving in two days. Grace helped me get the stuff ready.”

“Two days from now?”

Ava looked around trying to get out of telling him about her short detour but knowing it was impossible.

“I have to stop in Arkansas.”

“Why do you have to stop in Arkansas?”

“Rumors of Skins?” Her voice elevated so in the end it sounded more like a question then a statement. She watched as Jim frowned but he didn’t really have a choice in the matter. None of them did.

He gave her another quick hug and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Be careful for both of your sakes.”

She smiled before squeezing his hand and continuing to the cafeteria.

After eating she headed to her room and went right to bed. She had been very tired these past two weeks and she hoped this tiredness wouldn’t be present during the entire pregnancy it would make it difficult to take care of the Skins if she needed to call time out in the middle for a nap.

Best she could do was rest up now and before she stopped in Arkansas, which was why she was leaving so early. Plenty of time to stop in motels along the way and rest.

Two days later Grace, Hayden, and Jim were standing in the drive way giving Ava hugs goodbye. Ava would look suspiciously at Grace and Hayden who were acting over emotional considering she'd gone out like this many times and was just fine then. Granted Ava didn’t know they knew about her pregnancy. Well that was until Hayden pulled back from the hug and put his giant hand against her stomach and realized his mistake as Ava’s eyes widen in surprise.

“How’d you…”

Grace smiled sheepishly as she pulled Hayden towards her and away from Ava.

“Sorry Jasmine, but we’ve been reading the pregnancy books you know cause…” Ava nodded so she continued, “And you just had too many of the symptoms to ignore plus you’d just been with Carter so…”

Ava just rolled her eyes in acceptance before jumping into the truck and waving goodbye to them before pulling away.

~*~*~

Two days later she found herself in what used to be Huntsville, a smaller city in northwestern Arkansas. It was already hot and humid for the end of May and even if there were Skins inhabiting this forgotten town she didn’t think they would last very long.

She was walking down a street she assumed ran through what used to be downtown when the movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention and had her spinning and blasting at the same time.

Watching as the blast was deflected to harmlessly hit the brick wall of the alley she was surprised to find Kal there in his sun glasses and wearing his usually suit even though it was far too hot out for it. She assumed Kal couldn’t really tell what the temperature was like though.

“What the hell are you doing here Kal? And is it necessary for you to scare the shit out of me?”

Kal chuckled as he approached Ava. “Doll face, how have you been? I feel like I haven’t seen you in years.”

“Probably because it has been years since you’ve seen me and you probably just took off another five from my lifespan.”

She was surprised when he pulled her into an embrace that was very fatherly of him.

“Kal?”

“Congrats kiddo! I’m so excited. It’s been years since Aiden’s been impressed with my magic tricks; now I’ll get to impress your rug rat.”

Ava’s mouth dropped open and tried to find some kind of response for Kal but in the end decided it would be better just to walk away. It was probably a block before Kal realized she was leaving.

“Hey wait up Jas!”

She rolled her eyes at his dramatics cursing all the time he spent in Hollywood, but stopping anyway.

“What?”

“You don’t have to check this place out. Far as I can tell they were just rumors, but I’ll double check and you can head out to the Czech’s Café."

The fight and rebellion in Ava deflated and she smiled in gratitude.

“Thanks Kal...”

She trailed off, knowing the look in his eye. “Maybe. After I talk to Kyle we’ll see about you baby sitting.”

“That’s all I ask doll face. Now you run along and get a hold of our erstwhile buddies and see if we can fix this place up.”

“When were you ever buddies with the Royals?”

“You said tomato…”

By then they were back at Ava’s truck and Kal was opening the door for her, “Tell the others I said to be safe.”

“We always are.”

Kal gave a significant look towards her belly before looking back to her piercing blue eyes, “Apparently not doll face.”

“Shut up Kal.” Sticking out her tongue, she slammed her door shut before giving him one last smile and driving away to make contact with a planet far far away.

A planet that was never really home to any of them, but three were misguided there in their youth. Ava hoped with her whole heart once they got there they realized what their hearts already knew about home.

Ava hoped they were ready and able to come back because their home was hanging on by a thread and she didn’t know how much longer that would last.

She doubted the planet had very much time left either.

TBC…

[starcrazed]

Part 10

May 2017

She hated May.

All bad things in her life seemed to happen in May.

Okay so there was the war, which started in October.

Or two years later in September of 2010 when the war ended and Khivar made his plans of Earthly domination known.

But besides those two majorly huge exceptions all bad things in her life happened in May.

And it didn’t even start just because she found out about aliens either.

Her dad left in May.

Her dog died in May.

She was pretty sure she even had the chicken pox in May.

Then aliens entered her life and all bad things involving said aliens seemed to happen in May.

Her friend was captured and tortured in May.

Her boyfriend told her he loved her then proceed to leave her in May.

Her best friend might as well have died in May.

The grief at times from that was still suffocating and it always hit her in May.

It was May when the love of her life let her see him and told her he loves her. Only again to leave her this time for good. For a whole other planet.

A few weeks later, still in May she realized she was going to be another teen mother and her child would grow up not knowing his father.

It was in May that Aiden got really sick and she was horrified to take him to a hospital because they draw blood at hospitals and would find out he’s not exactly one hundred percent human.

The Evans went missing in May.

They lost contact with the Whitmans in May.

Her mom died in May.

So like she said May was a pretty horrible month. She had plans to rework the calendar when they fixed the mess this planet had turned into to. May will no longer exist in the new calendar.

“Your not even listening MOM.”

She looked over at her son in the driver seat of their truck still not sure how she felt about him being able to drive. It made her far older then she liked to think she was even though she felt years older then she actually was; she ignored the twist in her gut that happened every time she looked at her son. A person she loved more then she ever thought possible. A boy that at sixteen was now the exact same age she was when she fell in love to a boy who looked exactly like her son does now.

Except of course the hair. Aiden grew out of the spiky hair phase at ten. She still thanked God every night for that blessing. His hair wasn’t as dark as Michael’s, her genetics giving him a lighter shade. Oh but the eyes. Molten brown eyes that had the capability of telling you everything if you knew how to look. If there wasn’t a stone wall keeping you out.

“Sorry Aiden. What were you asking?”

“Can’t I go with Uncle Kal?”

She shook her head furiously ignoring the stray blonde hairs that flew into her eyes momentarily.

“Absolutely not. We already had this conversation Aiden, it’s too dangerous.”

“I can protect myself mom. And Uncle Kal would never let anything happen to me.”

She nodded but her memories took her away to a time when ‘Uncle Kal’ wasn’t so protective of his hybrid charges. A picture of Michael standing out in the rain suddenly blurred her vision and she turned completely away from Aiden hoping he wouldn’t see the tears that accompanied it.

Once the tears were gone she turned back to the stubborn child she birthed and hoped her own stubbornness was enough to face a combination of her and Michael’s stubborn streak.

“I know that Aiden, but he can do the job quicker if he’s by himself. Besides we need you for this to work, and I let you go last time.”

“Yeah, to look for people. No offense, but that’s pretty lame mom. It’s so much cooler if we get to check in with Uncle Kal’s contacts for alien activity.”

She rolled her eyes; the enthusiasm for alien oriented adventures was something she was used to by this point. If it wasn’t the boy she loved then searching for a home it was the boy she loved now searching for his dad. It’s what it always came down too. Sometimes she worried she would never be enough. She wasn’t enough for Michael to stay. And she knew she wasn’t enough to keep Aiden from wanting to go and search.

The tiredness crept into her tone and it was probably that alone that eventually had Aiden backing down from the argument. At least for now.

“Aiden, Aunt Jasmine has a plan.”

“You don’t think it will work though.”

She didn’t answer; she was biased against the orbs that had caused her and her friend so much heartache so long ago.

“Well talk about it again afterwards. If it doesn’t work.”

“Fine.”

Most of the rest of the car ride was done in silence. It wasn’t until the last ten minutes that Aiden brought the topic back up. He was thinking of even more convincing ideas to let him go when they parked in front of the Czech’s Roadside Café. Some part of Maria stopped listening to him as she looked through the front window and saw the silhouettes of two of her oldest friends.

The bell that rang when she opened the door was some sick sort of torture device on her part. It was so close to the Crashdown bell it was eerie. Before those thoughts carried her away she heard Aiden again behind her, “But mom…”

She didn’t really hear her own response as she closed the distance between herself and Liz pulling her into a tight hug relieved at seeing her best friend after almost a year of separation.

“Chica!”

After pulling away from Liz she punched Kyle lightly on the shoulder and winked at him. She hadn’t seen Kyle since Christmas and it was good to see her brother, even if he was technically only a step-brother.

Maria was the one that led them to the back corner booth. She found it odd that sometimes she needed the simple reminders of Max, Isabel, and Michael. Sometimes she needed the sound of the bell above the Crashdown door or the stars over head. Other times she cringed away from being outside at night knowing she couldn’t hide in a city away from the stars that held her love because cities no longer existed. Much to Liz’s disdain. Sometimes it would be the simplest things like a facial expression from Aiden or more obvious things like a bottle of Tabasco sauce that would have her wishing she could wipe those memories of her teenage years away forever.

But they made up who she was and without all of that she wouldn’t have Aiden. And that was just unacceptable no matter how much it hurt sometimes too look at the exact replica of Michael Guerin at age sixteen.

When Ava walked in Aiden was the first to wrap her in a hug, but Maria was second having missed her just as much as Liz and Kyle even if they did see each other only two months ago.

Maria sat back in the booth this time with Aiden against the wall and smiled as Ava threw her arms around Liz as she reached across Kyle.

Two months after Aiden was born Ava was back in Roswell having somehow felt his birth. She sought out Liz since they were friends when Ava first came to Roswell with Rath and Lonnie. Kyle and Maria were there with new baby Aiden when she walked through the Crashdown doors. Kyle had freaked out when Ava walked through the door. He freaked out even more when Liz jumped out of her chair and pulled Ava into a sisterly hug.

For as much as Liz disliked Tess it was odd that she so quickly befriend Ava. But Maria definitely understood it. Even though the same face was responsible for the death of Alex, Ava was a world of difference from Tess. There was never anything, but trust between Liz and Ava. And since Maria trusted Liz and could clearly see that Ava was not Tess she was willing to give Ava that chance to become her friend too. With Kyle it took a bit longer. Neither Liz nor Maria had ever had Tess wandering around inside their head, but they could still see how it would be difficult to immediately trust this girl who had the same face as the sister who made you carry your dead friend’s body.

Ava tried to help Kyle. First she toned down her punk look, but that kind of freaked all of them out so she played it up really big. It made Kyle laugh. It was probably the first time Liz or Maria had heard him laugh at something besides his own jokes when trying to get them to smile.

The laugh was followed by the boyish smile and Maria and Liz shared knowing looks when Ava nearly swooned at their feet.

After that most of Ava’s time was spent either protecting Aiden while Maria was in class and Amy was at work, trying to locate Rath and Lonnie and make sure they stayed far away from her new family, or working at befriending Kyle and building up trust between them.

It was Kal who actually found them a year after Maria had tracked Kal down and by then Rath and Lonnie were no longer a burden for anyone.

Maria pulled herself away from the past and tried to focus on the future, well at the very least the present.

“You guys are really gonna do this?”

She felt bad when she heard Liz’s tired sigh, “Maria we’ve been through this before.”

Maria knew that, but it was hard to rationalize fear especially when she was still denying that she was scared. Before she let the emotion linger in her eyes she turned her attention to Ava.

“This point in the game Maria, we don’t really have too many options left.”

She knew that and she wasn’t trying to make this anymore difficult then it was, but what if….

“I get that guys I really do. And I’m not trying to be difficult," she paused to glare at Aiden who seemed to be holding back a ‘yeah right’ before continuing, “It’s just what about what Nasedo said the first time.”

She almost laughed with Kyle at the absurd statement. Since when did she ever believe a damn thing that left the shape shifters mouth?

She responded absentmindedly to Kyle’s comment and was surprised when Liz cut her off. Not because Liz cut her off, but that she did so almost angrily.

She heard what Liz was saying, but she couldn’t help but voice one of her fears,

“What if it doesn’t work?”

Listening to Ava’s confident response she couldn’t help but share the rest of her fears at Kyle’s plea. It had been a long time after all. A lifetime of changes could happen in sixteen years. They were prime examples of that.

“What if they can’t help us…what if they don’t want to help us? What if they don’t care anymore?”

Just saying it helped and it didn’t take Ava’s angry fist to the table or speech to make her realize how untrue it was. It could be sixteen lifetimes since the last time they saw the others and they would still care. Sixteen years was a long time sure, but not enough to erase the bond they shared between all of them.

With this realization Maria got out of the booth and watched as they each held an orb and Ava explained it one last time.

She couldn’t help the watery smile when Aiden commented about meeting his dad. He would love Michael. And Michael would love him so much.

She didn’t know when she picked up Michael’s habit of pacing and very rarely if ever did she realize when she was doing it. But now she did and she forced her self to stop and look at the four members of her family with their eyes closed.

“Kay you guys focus…and I’ll just…wait…”

Maybe this May wouldn’t be so bad.

TBC…